Dmitry Bivol is, quite simply, a pure boxer, always utilizing his elite footwork and impeccable judgment of distance to seamlessly navigate himself through a fight.
His formidable skills have, after all, allowed him to take several scalps in the light heavyweight division, most notably defeating pound-for-pound star Canelo Alvarez.
But now, the 33-year-old must overcome the fearsome power of Beterbiev, with the pair headlining one of the best cards of the year on October 12.
Still, many have questioned whether Dmitry Bivol’s undeniable talent will hold up against the relentless force of Artur Beterbiev when they collide for the undisputed crown.
Paulie Malignaggi gives his honest take on Artur Beterbiev vs Dmitry Bivol
Against the likes of Canelo Alvarez, Bivol has proven to be a highly focused operator, showing few signs of mental or physical frailty.
But, against Beterbiev, a fighter known for destroying the spirit of his opponents down the stretch, the WBA world champion must be especially mindful of his countryman’s track record.
Former world champion Paulie Malignaggi, though, believes that Bivol has the mental fortitude to match Beterbiev when the going gets tough.
“Bivol has the determination and the will to win,” Malignaggi said on ProBox TV. “With Beterbiev, we’ve seen him break guys’ will to win, and that’s the question mark here.
“[Oleksandr] Gvozdyk had done very well [against Beterbiev] but, eventually, Beterbiev sort of outgunned him, and he sort of broke him mentally, and he got the stoppage.
“Bivol is coming with that same determination and skill set – very similar to Gvozdyk. He’s long, he’s able to have that in-and-out style which kind of troubles Beterbiev.
“[But] does Beterbiev have enough at 39 years old to take away the will to win from Bivol – is that even possible?”
DAZN experts pick Dmitry Bivol to beat Artur Beterbiev on points
In agreement with Malignaggi, several boxing experts have highlighted the age of Beterbiev as a potential factor in this matchup.
As a result, four of DAZN’s pundits are all convinced that Bivol’s movement – and indeed his technical prowess – will ultimately be too much for the seasoned veteran.
These claims have largely emerged due to Beterbiev’s recent knee injury, however, which forced his bout with Bivol – initially scheduled for June – to be postponed.
And so, it appears that the 39-year-old will enter his next outing with a point to prove, hoping to show the world that his aging body is still what it used to be.